Can-opener.



G. F. HALL.

CAN OPENER.

APPLIGATION FILED rEB.1o.1ao9.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. HALL, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO ARLING- HAM W. HAMMETT AND WILLIAM SWEETLAND.

CAN-OPENER.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residin at Newark, in the county of Essex and tate of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has reference, generally, to improvements in can-openers; and, the present invention relates, more particularly, to a novel construction of can-opener provided with a piercing end or element which is adapted to be forced through the central portion of the head of a can, and is also provided with a slidably arranged and adjustable cutter which can be moved back and forth upon the main body or shank of the device, according to the opening desired in the head of the can, the device being provided with a simply constructed and easily operated clamping or locking means for holding the cutter in its positively fixed position, after adjustment has been made, and whereby the device can be used for cutting the heads of dierent sized cans.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a novel and simply constructed can-opener provided with a slidably arranged and adjustable cutter, and which is made with a simply constructed and readily operated clamping or locking means for rigidly fixing the cutter in its adjusted position against accidental displacement while cutting or severing the sheet-metal head of the can.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel and slidably arranged cutter and a clamping or locking means therefor, the parts of which are arranged and constructed in such a manner, so that the member or element for manipulating the clamping means can not work loose and become lost; and, furthermore, to provide a knife or blade-carrier which can be readily moved along the body or shank of the canopener without any undue friction between the said carrier and the marginal edges of 4the said main body or shank of the device.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led February 19, 1909.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

serial No. 478,986.

A further object of this invention is to.

provide a novel knife or blade-carrier having the knife or blade se arably connected therewith, so that the kni e or blade can be removed and replaced by another knife or blade, or to be sharpened when so removed. Other objects of this invention not at this time more particularly enumerated will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of my present invention. With the varlous objects of the present lnvention 1n view, the same consists, primarlly, 1n the novel can-opener hereinafter set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, all of which are more fully described in the following specification and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claims which are ap ended to the said speclfication and which orm an essential part of the same.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a can-opener embodying the principles of the present invention, said view showing the knife or blade-carrier in two of its adjusted positions, with the said knife or blade-carrier clamped or locked in its fixed position after adjustment; Flg. 2 is a top view of the can-opener; and Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the same. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the main body or shank of the can-opener and the slidable blade or knifecarrier in its locked position, said section being taken on line 4-4 in Fi 3 of the drawings; and Fi 5 is a simi ar section of a portion of sai main body or shank and the knife or blade-carrier, showin the clamping or lockingmeans in its dlsengaged relation with the main body or shank of the can-opener. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 6-6 in Fig. l; and Fig. 7 is a similar section, taken on line 7-7 in said Fig. l, looking in both instances in the direction of the arrow m. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional representation of showing a modified means of securing one of the cutters to the main body or shank of the device.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the said above described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings, the reference-character 1 indicates the complete can-opener, the same coinprising a main body or shank 2 which is provided at one end with a handle, as 3. At its opposite end-portion, the said main body or shank is provided with a piercing Vmember or element 4 which is formed with a point 5 and has an angular or bent portion 6, said bent portion 6 being inserted in a hole or perforation 7 in the said end-portion of the main body or shank, and being suitably secured in its fixed position by means of an upset or riveted portion 8, as shown in Fig. 4 of .the drawings, or by .being otherwise .suitably secured in its operative position. The said piercing member or element 4 is thus llocated upon one of the fiat sides of the main body or shank 2 and extends in a forward direction from the free end of said body or shank so as to be readily applied to the head of a can for the purpose of forcing the pointed end of the piercing member .or element through the said head of the can. Suitably secured upon the opposite side or face of the said main body or shank 2, at or near the end-portion thereof, by means .of rivets 9, or by means of a doublepointed rivet, as 26, see Fig. 8, or other suitable fastening means, is the portion 10 of a suitable cutter for severing the heads of rectangular cans, and the like. Connected with the portion 10 is an angular part 11 provided with a forwardly extending knife or cutter 12 which has a piercing-point 13, and is preferably of the general configuration shown in 'the several figures of the drawings. The purpose of this form of cutter is lto enable the device to be used for piercing and cutting the heads of square and other similar cans, such as sardine-cans, by forcing the point 13 through the metal and then using vthe handle 3 as a lever for forcing the knife or cutter through the sheetmetal head, as will be clearly evident.

To enable the can-opener to be used upon the ends or heads of lcylindrical cans of various diameters, a knife or blade-carrier is slidably arranged upon the main body or shank 2. This knife or blade-carrier consists, essentially, of a base-plate 14 arranged against that face or side of the main body or shank 2 from which the piercing member or element 4 extends, said base-plate 14 being provided at its respective end-portions with suitably formed .loops or eyes, as 15, which embrace the said main body or shank 2, substantially in the ymanner shown in the several figures of the drawings, and by means of which the said base-plate 14 is slidably connected with the said main body or shank 2. Suitably mounted upon that face of the said base-plate 14 nearest the face ofthe main body or shank 2 is a plate or member 16, vsaid plate or member extending through one of the said loops or eyes 15 and being provided with an angular hnger or extension 17 of a triangular configu-- ration, said finger or extension having a piercing` point 18 and a knife or cutter-edge 19, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The plate or member 1G may be secured to said base-plate 14 by means of any suitable fastening means, and one manner is by means of a removable screw 20 which permits of the remo-val of said plate or member 16 from said base-plate 14 so that it can be replaced by another plate or lmember-16 and its cutter, or for the sharpening of the knife or cutter-edge after which it can again 'be secured in its operative position, as will be clearly evident. That the said slidably arranged cutter or knife-carrier, thus provided, may be clamped or locked in any one of its adjusted positions f upon the said main body or shank 2, the said base-plate 14 is formed with a pair of upwardly extending and perforated ears or lugs 21, said ears-or lugs embracing the longitudinal edge-portions of the said main body or shank 2 and extending above the upper face of the said body or shank, substantially in the manner illustrated in the several gures of the drawings. Suitably secured inthe perforations of the said ears or lugs 21 and extending across the space between the said ears or lugs is a pin 22, and pivoted upon said pin 22 are a pair of substantially centrally located lugs or ears 23 which extend downwardly from a plate-'like operating element or finger-piece 24, in such a manner that the said element 24 will be provided on opposite sides of its pivotal support with push-pieces, one of which is used for clamping the parts in their `fixed posit-ions, and the other push-piece being used for releasing the said parts. The said lugs or ears 23 are eccentrically pivoted upon said pin 22, so that the preferably camshaped edge-portions 25 of the said lugs or ears 23 can be brought into fixed locked or clamped engagement with the face of the main body o-r shank 2, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, so that the knife or blade-carrier and its cutter are immovably locked or clamped in position upon the said main body or shank 2; or, when the said 'finger-piece is brought into the position illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, removing the said cam-shaped edge-portions 25 from their clamping or holding engagement with the face of the said main body or shank 2, as shown, to allow the knife or blade-carrier and its cutter to be moved in a backward or forward direction, as may be desired.

The manner of employing the can-opener for cutting out the heads of cylindrical cans will be clearly evident from the foregoing description and from an inspection ofthe several figures ofthe drawings. The piercing member or element 4 being forced through the central portion of the head of the can, and the knife or blade-carrier being properly adjusted, according to the diameter of the head of the can, and being rigidly fixed by means of thev clamping or locking device, the pointed end of the blade or knife is forced into and through the head of the cam at or near the outer peripheral edge of the head where it is joined to the body of the can. Now using the piercing member or element el as a pivot and the handle 3 as a lever for drawing the knife or cutter-edge 19 through the sheet-metal head, the latter can be readily cut out of the body of the can, as will be clearly evident.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the arrangements and combinations of the devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, without departing from the scope of my present invention as set forth in the foregoing speciication and as defined 1n the claims which are appended to the said specification. Hence I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements'and combinations of the devices and parts as described in the said specieation, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said arts as illustrated in the accompanying rawings.

I claim:-

1. A can-opener comprising a main body provided with a piercing member, a bladecarrier slidably arranged upon said mam body, a clamping means consisting of a plate-like fingerpiece formed with oppositely extending push-pieces, and eccentrically pivoted ears extending from saldi fingerpiece, said ears extending centrally from the marginal edges ofsaid finger-piece, the marginal edge-portions of sa1d ears being adapted to be brought in clamping en agement with said main body so as to c amp said blade-carrier in any one of its adjuster positions upon said body, said push-pieces being arranged so that a downward pressure upon one of said push-pieces will clamp said ears, and a downward pressure upon the other ush-piece will release said ears from their ellamped relation.

2. A can-opener comprising a main body provided with a piercing member, a bladecarrier slidably arranged upon said main body, a clamping means consisting of a plate-like fingerpiece formed with oppositely extending push-pieces, and eccentrically pivoted ears extending from said iingerpiece, said ears extending centrally from the marginal edges of said finger-piece and said ears being formed with cam-shaped marginal edge-portions adapted to be brought in clamping engagement with said main body so as to clamp said blade-carrier in any one of its 'adjusted positions upon said body, said push-pieces being arranged so that a downward pressure upon one of said push-pieces will clamp said ears, and a downward pressure upon the other pushpiece will release sald ears from their clamped relation.

3. A can-opener comprising a main body provided with a piercing member, a bladecarrier comprising a base-plate provided with loop-shaped portions embracing said main body, a second plate extending from said base-plate, said second plate being provided with an angular finger formed with a knife-edge, a clamping means consisting of a late-tlike ingerpiece formed with opposite y extending push-pieces, said ears extendin centrally from the marginal edges of saic finger-piece, and eccentrically pivoted ears extending from said fingerplece, the marginal edge-portions of said ears being adapted to be brought in clamping engagement with said mam body so as to c am' said blade-carrier in any one of its adjusted ositions upon said body, said push-pieces Being arranged so that a downward pressure upon one of said push-pieces will clamp said ears, and a downward pressure upon the other push-piece will release said ears from their clamped relation.

4:. A can-opener comprising a main body provided with a piercing member, a bladecarrier comprising a base-plate provided with loop-shaped portions embracing said main body, a second plate extending from said base-plate, said second plate being provided with an angular finger formed with a knife-edge, a clamping means consisting of a plate-like ingerpiece formed with oppositely extending push-pieces, and eccentrically pivoted ears extending from said ingerpiece, said ears extending centrally from the marginal edges of said linger-piece and said ears being formed with cam-shaped marginal edge-portions adapted to be brought in clamping engagement withsaid main body so as to clamp said blade-carrier in any one of its adjusted positions upon said body, said push-pieces being arranged so that a downward pressure upon one of said push-pieces will clamp said ears, and a downward pressure upon the other pushpiece will release said ears from their clamped relation.

5. A can-opener comprising a main body provided with a piercing member, a bladecarrier comprising a base-plate provided with loo -shaped portions embracing said main bo y, a second plate extending from said base-plate, said second plate being provided with an angular finger formed with a knife-edge, perforated ears extending upwardly from said base-plate, said ears embracing the opposite edge-portions of said main body, a clamping means consisting of a plate-like finger-piece5 and earsV extending l one of said push-pieces will clamp said ears,

from said ingerpieee, said ears extending centrally from the marginal edges of said linger-piece and said second-mentioned ears being eocentrically pivoted to the ears of said base-plate, the marginal edge-portions of said eeCent-rically pivoted ears being adapted to be brought in engagement with said main body so as to clamp said bladeearrier in any one of its adjusted positions upon said body7 said push-pieces being ar? ranged so that a downward pressure upon and a downward pressure upon the otherA push-pieee will release said ears from their 15 clamped relation.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of February, 1909.

GEORGE F. HALL.

Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, FREDK. H. W. FRAENTZEL. 

